In 1949 at age 65, Ferris Institute was again offered to the state of Michigan but
this time as an outright gift.

This story really begins in 1936 when G. Mennen Williams, fresh out of law school,
was hired by the scholarly Michigan Attorney General Raymond W. Starr to the post
of Assistant Attorney General. The two became great friends.

In 1948 Williams was elected governor of Michigan. Starr was judge of the Western
Michigan District Federal Court. Williams took office Jan. 1, 1949, and on Jan. 28,
1949, Ferris Institute was offered to the state.

Gov. Williams replied by appointing a special committee to study the feasibility of
the state accepting the offer. When he was inter-viewed by the press, President Brophy
refused to comment on the offer, stating that it was a matter between the executive
committee of the Board of Trustees and the state. But it was known that Brophy had
talked to Williams about the feasibility of the state taking over Ferris.

The Story begins in 1936 with G. Mennen Williams fresh out of law school.

However, Donald Worcester of the Board of Trustees said that the "Board had been considering
the gift at this time because of long-range consideration." Worcester pointed out
that there was no hurry. "We are thinking of 50 years ahead," he said. In 1891 Mr.
Ferris had wanted to keep the Ludington deal quiet until there was something concrete
to announce. The 1949 Ferris Board had wanted to keep this "deal" quiet, too, until
something came of it. But the press did not cooperate.

On May 17,1949, Gov. G. Mennen Williams signed the Smith-VanderWerp Act which made
Ferris Institute a state educational institution. Witnessing the signing are, from
left, Charles Fairman; Donal Worcester; Sen. Colin Smith, co-author of the bill; President
Byron Brophy; Sen. Don VanderWerp, the bill's other co-author; Alfred Cramer; and
Lewie Hull, both representing the Alumni Association.

The worth of the campus was valued at $1,300,000 and enrollment was listed at 1,140
students, one of the highest figures in the history of the school.

"We are thinking of 50 years ahead."

Within a few days Gov. Williams had picked members of the study committee which was
to be headed by Alexander G. Ruthven, president of the University of Michigan.

President Byron Brophy (left) on the grounds near the West Building with board memeber
Col. Roy C. Vendercook in 1950.

Also Chief Justice Edward M. Sharpe of the State Supreme Court; State Controller Robert
F. Steadman; President Charles L. Anspach of Central Michigan College; A.G. Buchman
of Iron Mountain; Nate S. Shapero of Detroit; Bert A. Robinson of Marlette, who was
president of the State Pharmaceutical Association; Lewie H. Hull of Lansing; Elwood
M. Brake, Ionia County Superintendent of Schools; and O.K. Grettenberger of Okemos,
who was a member of the State Board of Pharmacy.

Brake, Buchman, Grettenberger, Hull, Robinson, Shapero, Smith and VanderWerp were
alumni of the Institute. Although Williams was a Democrat, it was ironic that all
the legislators appointed to the study committee were Republican; staunch Democrat
W.N. Ferris' school was going to be at the mercy of Republican lawmakers.

The worth of the campus was valued at $1,300,000.

Educators in the state were opposed to adding another school to the competition for
state funds, and they were apprehensive that another school competing for state funds
would seek to branch out, duplicating curriculums at existing institutions. Educators
did concede, however, that there was a need for a vocational school with a minimum
of emphasis on traditional academic work.

On March 7, 1949, the study committee visited the school and generally agreed that
the state should take over the Institute. On March 31, Gov. Williams recommended to
the Legislature that the state do just that. He reported its value was $816,000, and
that it had $200,000 in the bank. He suggested, however, that when the influx of veterans
had completed their training, the school might be in trouble. At the time the estimates
of percentage of veterans among the enrollees ranged from 75 to 85.

Early in April, Sen. Don VanderWerp, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, announced
he would sponsor the bill. State Senator Colin Smith was to co-author it.

The Senate voted 28-0 to take over the Institute, but House approval was expected
to be much harder to come by. (It is significant that at the time VanderWerp presented
the bill, three schools similar to Ferris were established in New York State, where
much of the Ferris philosophy had been spawned.)

Any fear about passage was dissipated when the House approved the bill 83 to 8 on
May 10, and it went to Gov. Williams for his signature.

The Governor signed the Smith-VanderWerp Bill in his Lansing office on May 18, 1949.
Sen. Smith, the local representative, was given the special signed copy of the Bill
to present to the Institute.

Public Act 114, of the Public Laws of Michigan 1949, provided that on July 1, 1950,
one of the oldest colleges in Michigan would become the newest state college. The
legislative act mandated that Ferris be operated and maintained in accordance with
curricula established through the years.

Educators in the state were opposed to adding another school to the competition for
state funds

Brophy's salary was raised from $5,000 to $10,000 to compensate for his loss of commission
on the tuition fees.

These men formed the Board of Incorporators at the time Ferris was given state institution
status. A note on the back of this original print said, "We gave the Institute and
$70,000 to the state of Michigan." In the photo, seated from left, are Frank Johnson,
Edwin Young, Donald Worchester, Charles Fairman, Arthur Wilson, John Buck, Alfred
Cramer, Vern Eldridge and Dr. Gordon Yeo. Standing from left are Joseph Bennett, Colin
Smith, Floyd Bouck (who wrote the note), Arthur Martz, Roy Buck, James Young, William
VanAuken, Rupert Binney, Jacob VanDyke, Dr. Arthur Zetterstedt, Wallace Henry, Willis
Judson, Eugene Ward, J.D. McGlathery and Ray Eichenberg. This picture-taking ceremony
was the last official act of the Board before turning the School over to the state.